REIS202 Introduction to the Master Program in Nature-Based Tourism

The course provides an introduction to NMBU, the master's program in nature-based tourism, and career opportunities after graduation. Nature-based tourism is located at the intersection between nature experiences, natural resource management & conservation, and business development. The course aims at collaboration, meeting with and an understanding of public authorities, the private sector, voluntary organizations and local communities' role in this intersection. Emphasis is placed on the significance of premises (administration, political signal, etc.), environment (natural resources, public rights, property rights, local communities, etc.), trends (outdoor recreation, activities, community development, etc.) and entrepreneurs' drivie for the development of sustainable, nature-based tourism.

An important part of the course is to weld the class together, create belonging and commitment through group work, student active communication, and excursions.

A candidate with a completed qualification shall have the following learning outcomes in the course:

Knowledge: The student should be able to describe and discuss the role of nature-based tourism in Norway. Furthermore, be able to analyze the opportunities, challenges and conflicts that lie in this intersection between nature experiences, natural resource management & conservation, and business development. The student shall have insight into practical tasks that nature-based tourism candidates work with.

Skills: The student shall be able to identify the most important public, private and voluntary actors in nature-based tourism, and be able to discuss their role and scope in the development of a sustainable, nature-based tourism. The student shall be able to write an academic report for a client, including preparing a problem statement, collecting, analyzing and interpreting data. The student shall master the newspaper chronicle genre, as well as the technical and compositional skills required to create a digital story (video). The student shall be able to carry out assessment of fellow students' work (newspaper article, digital storytelling, group assignment). The student shall be able to present subject matter orally to the class.

General competence: The student shall have a good understanding of the nature-based tourism in Norway. Students will work in interdisciplinary groups to plan and carry out a project (group assignment) using project planning tools and theory of group processes. The student should be able to convey popular science about nature-based tourism in the form of a newspaper article and a digital story (video) to a wider section of the population.